Palace: VP threat vs. PBBM not hypothetical, ‘no joke’ means no joke

Darryl John Esguerra, Philippine News Agency

(Photo courtesy: Claire Castro/Facebook)

MANILA – Malacañang on Thursday rejected claims that Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged death threat against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. was merely hypothetical, insisting the statement was real, deliberate, and admitted by Duterte herself.

Responding to arguments raised by Duterte’s camp during the Senate impeachment trial, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said there was nothing speculative about the case because Duterte publicly declared she had instructed someone to kill the President, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez if something happened to her.

“Hindi po ito hypothetical, nakita po ito, hindi po ito gawa-gawang isip, hindi po ito pantasya (This is not hypothetical. It was heard, it was neither fabricated nor a fantasy),” Castro said during a Palace briefing.

“Sinabi po ito at mismong si Bise Presidente ay hindi pinasinungalingan ang kanyang mga sinabi, ang kanyang pagbabanta sa buhay ng Pangulo (The Vice President said this herself and she has never denied making those threats against the President’s life).”

She noted that Duterte herself described the remark as “no joke,” making it difficult to characterize it as merely hypothetical.

She also disputed claims that the alleged threat could not constitute the crime of grave threats because it was conditional.

Citing Article 282 of the Revised Penal Code and the Supreme Court ruling in *Caluag v. People,* Castro said grave threats may be committed whether or not a condition accompanies the threat.

‘Operation Romanov’

Castro also questioned the Duterte camp’s reliance on the alleged “Operation Romanov” to justify the Vice President’s statements.

During Wednesday’s impeachment proceedings, Duterte’s lawyers argued that she made the remarks out of fear for her family’s safety because of an alleged operation targeting them.

Castro said it is up to Duterte’s camp to prove the operation existed.

She noted that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) had previously asked Duterte to provide information about the alleged threats against her family, but she did not cooperate.

“Siya po ang magbigay ng mga detalye, para po magkaroon ng tamang pag-iimbestiga (She should provide the details so that a proper investigation can be conducted),” Castro said.

She added that invoking the alleged operation does not justify threatening the President.

“Ang pagbabanta ay pagbabanta, sinuman ka man… nagbanta ka pa rin sa buhay ng Pangulo (A threat is still a threat, whoever you are… you still threatened the President’s life),” she said.

No presidential influence

Castro also dismissed insinuations raised during the impeachment trial that Marcos influenced the criminal investigation because the NBI is under the Department of Justice (DOJ), which belongs to the Executive branch.

She said the NBI merely exercised its legal mandate after Duterte publicly made the statements.

“Ang NBI po ay may sariling mandato… mandato po ng NBI na iimbestigahan po ito dahil po ito ay para sa proteksiyon ng ating Pangulo (The NBI has its own mandate… it is its duty to investigate because it concerns the protection of the President),” Castro said.

She described allegations of presidential interference as a weak argument, stressing that the investigation was based on Duterte’s public statements, which were witnessed by the public.

The Senate impeachment trial formally opened on July 6 after the House of Representatives impeached Duterte in May 2026 over allegations that include culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, misuse of confidential funds, bribery, unexplained wealth, and the grave threats case stemming from her November 2024 remarks against Marcos, the First Lady, and Romualdez.

This article is reposted from PNA.